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4h ago

Punjabi University VC Booked Over Mahan Kosh Disposal as SGPC Recovers Volumes

Police action follows campus disposal of error-ridden volumes that Sikh bodies say violated maryada.

An ‘ardas’ for repentance being performed before taking the copies of Mahan Kosh to Goindwal Sahib for final rites as per Sikh maryada on Friday. (HT)
Copies of 'Mahan Kosh' being removed from the burial pit at Punjabi University, Patiala by protesting students Friday | By special arrangement
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Overview

  • Patiala police registered an FIR under Section 298 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against Vice-Chancellor Jagdeep Singh, Registrar Davinderpal Singh, Dean Jaswinder Singh Brar and Publication Bureau head H.P.S. Kalra.
  • The university suspended H.P.S. Kalra and environment director Himender Bharti for lapses in the procedure used to discard the books.
  • An SGPC delegation performed ardas, retrieved the copies from campus pits and transported them to Goindwal Sahib for disposal as per Sikh maryada, while the Akal Takht set up a probe panel to report within a week.
  • Vice-Chancellor Jagdeep Singh apologized, saying the burial was intended as an eco-friendly method for thousands of copies but conceded the process should have followed religious protocol.
  • Scholars had flagged extensive errors in reprinted editions published since 2009/2017, the High Court had barred sales, and reports differ on scale and cost, citing roughly Rs 2.5 crore spent and 15,000 to nearly 25,000 copies involved.